Police are slowly closing the net on kidnapping syndicates, with the latest breakthrough being the arrest of a Zambian national alleged to be a ringleader behind a kidnapping for ransom syndicate targeting businessmen in South Africa.
Just last week, SAPS National Commissioner General Fannie Masemola, revealed that some kingpins were operating from outside the country.
Masemola, who revealed that also there was a relationship between kidnapping and drugs, vowed to arrest the perpetrators.
The Zambian national, 40, who is on crutches, was intercepted as he arrived in the country from Zambia at the OR Tambo International Airport in Ekurhuleni on Sunday.
According to national SAPS spokesperson, Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, police had been keeping a close watch on the suspect’s movement. He is believed to be one of the ringleaders behind a kidnapping for ransom syndicate targeting businessmen in South Africa.
He has specifically been linked to the kidnapping of businessman Ashraf Kaka 63, who was taken from outside the Helderkruin Mosque, west of Johannesburg, on July 5.
Kaka was rescued the same day that police discovered R300 million worth of crystal meth at two properties in Fourways and a hotel in Bruma.
“The Zambian national is also believed to be a key figure in the R300 million crystal meth drugs that were seized,” Mathe said.
She said upon arrival at the OR Tambo airport, the suspect was arrested by a multidisciplinary team led by the SAPS anti-kidnapping task team, counter intelligence, detectives, JMPD K-9 unit, Flying Squad and private security.
“The suspect is expected to be charged with eight other suspects including three Tanzanian nationals who were arrested for the kidnapping of the businessman and the drug bust,” she said.
This comes amidst an increase in kidnappings, human trafficking and drug offences in the country.
Masemola told anti-crime activist Yusuf Abramjee recently that law enforcement officers were making headway with kidnapping investigations.
“Unfortunately, some of the kingpins are not in the country, they are within Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries.
“We have engaged through Interpol, our neighbouring countries where these people are with a view to get them back.
“We asked our counterparts to assist us with the paperwork. But in the country, yes, we’ve made quite a number of strides.
“We have arrested more than 32 suspects recently and a number of hostage releases were safely executed.
“We will continue, we will not stop, but we have learnt now that there is a relationship between kidnapping and drugs, with the recent arrest of eight people.
“So, it gives us a different direction, we will follow up, and we will continue with the arrest of these syndicates,” Masemola said.
Masemola said police were hard at work in dismantling the work of transnational organised crime syndicates.
The Star